takcom + samurai jazz quintet: pico.

There’s something about the intrinsic freedom and improv history that’s sewn into jazz that lends itself particularly well to experimental visuals. Without words to guide along a pre-determined narrative, we’re left with an ultimate freeflow; we decide for ourselves what the story behind the sounds is, and the director gets an ultimate carte blanche to create whatever visual story he or she wants.

Directed by Japanese director/animator Takafumi Tsuchiya (a.k.a. Takcom) for experimental jazz outfit Samurai Jazz Quintet, “Pico” is twitchy, graphic, dimension-shifting animation gem. It follows no convention or boundaries, just visualizes, with complete abandon, the sounds it has merged with.